1. Field of Invention
The invention relates, generally, to a tremolo assembly of a stringed instrument and, more particularly, to placement of the tremolo assembly of a guitar relative to a remainder of the guitar.
2. Description of Related Art
A stringed instrument, such as a guitar, comprises generally a body, neck, head, and a plurality of strings disposed on or slightly above a top surface of the guitar. More specifically, the strings are attached at one end thereof at the head, extend from there along an entirety of the neck and a portion of the body, and are attached at the other end of the strings to a tremolo (or a vibrato or “whammy”) assembly, which is disposed on the top surface of the body. In a typical electric guitar (say, a “Fender® Stratocaster®” style one), a plurality of electronic controls—such as, but not limited to, a volume control, a tone control, and a selector switch—are disposed on the top surface of the body near the tremolo assembly and adapted to be accessed and operated (adjusted) by a user of the guitar.
The known tremolo assembly comprises generally a bridge plate (or base plate or vibrato bar) that is mounted to the guitar at or slightly above the top surface of the body and a tone (or pitch) block that is pivotally coupled to a lower surface of the bridge plate and extends downwardly into a hollow volume defined in an interior of the body. The strings are strung over a top of the bridge plate and, thus, tone block and attached to the bridge plate. The tremolo assembly comprises further a handle a first rod-like part of which is disposed within a portion of the tone block and extends upwardly therefrom and completely through and at least slightly beyond the bridge plate. A second rod-like part of the handle extends from the end of the first rod-like part (that is defined opposite the tone block) and obliquely away with respect to the top surface of the body. A knob is disposed on the end of the second rod-like part (that is defined opposite the first rod-like part). The length of the first rod-like part defines an axis about which the first rod-like part is adapted to rotate within the tone block and bridge plate. In turn, the second rod-like part and, thus, knob are adapted to pivot about the axis.
The user of the guitar may operate the tremolo assembly to vary (amount of) tension in the strings. More specifically, the user may increase the tension in the strings by displacing the handle toward the top surface of the guitar to, thereby, pull the bridge plate away from the body, which, via other mechanisms of the guitar (not described herein, but appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the related art), alters tone (or pitch) of sound produced by playing of the strings by the user (namely, bends the pitch up). Similarly, the user may decrease the tension in the strings by displacing the handle away from the top surface of the guitar to, thereby, push the bridge plate toward the body, which, via the other mechanisms of the guitar, alters the tone of the sound produced by the playing of the strings by the user (namely, bends the pitch down).
The handle of the known tremolo assembly typically is located interferingly adjacent (namely, slightly above—either directly or to either immediate side of) the electronic controls of the guitar. More specifically, the handle typically is located at any given time in a direct path between the controls and the hand of the user that is strumming the guitar and usually responsible for operating the controls. Accordingly, the tremolo assembly typically is “in the way” and interferes with operation of the controls by the user. As a result, the known tremolo assembly typically requires the user to move the handle “out of the way” before he or she accesses and operates the controls. The handle of the known tremolo assembly typically is located also a relatively great distance from the “operating” hand of the user. As such, the known tremolo assembly typically requires the user to inconveniently and time-consumingly reach such distance away from a position from which he or she is comfortably playing the guitar to access the handle so that the user can pivot it. Consequently, the known tremolo assembly typically significantly limits expression of operation by the user of the tremolo assembly and controls.
Thus, there is a need in the related art for a tremolo assembly of a guitar a handle of which typically is not located interferingly adjacent controls of the guitar. More specifically, there is a need in the related art for such a tremolo assembly the handle of which typically is not located also at any given time in a direct path between the controls and a hand of a user of the guitar. There is a need in the related art for such a tremolo assembly also that typically is not “in the way” and does not interfere with operation of the controls by the user. There is a need in the related art for such a tremolo assembly that typically also does not require the user to move the handle “out of the way” before he or she accesses and operates the controls. There is a need in the related art for such a tremolo assembly the handle of which typically is not located also a relatively great distance from the “operating” hand of the user. There is a need in the related art for such a tremolo assembly that typically does not require the user to also inconveniently and time-consumingly reach such distance away from a position from which he or she is comfortably playing the guitar to access the handle so that the user can pivot it. There is a need in the related art for such a tremolo assembly that typically does not also significantly limit expression of operation by the user of the tremolo assembly and controls.